|
Interpretation
of lab results |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Lab |
Normal
value |
Comments |
| Albumin |
3.5 - 5.0 mg/dl |
Decreased:
cystic fibrosis, chronic glomerulonephritis, alcoholic cirrhosis,
Hodkin's disease, malnutrition, nephrotic syndrome, multiple myeloma,
inflammatory bowel disease, leukemia, collagen-vascular diseases |
| Aldosterone |
upright: 4-31 ng/dl |
Increased:
hyperaldosterism (primary or secondary). Decreased:
adrenal insufficiency, panhypopituitarism. |
| Amylase |
30-100 U/liter |
Increased:
acute pancreatitis, pancreatic duct obstruction, alcohol ingestion,
mumps, parotitidis, renal disease, cholecystitis, peptic ulcers,
intestinal obstruction, mesenteric thrombosis, postop abdominal
surgery. Decreased: Liver damage,
pancreatic destruction (pancreatitis, cystic fibrosis) |
| Bilirubin |
Total: 0.2 - 1.2 mg/dl; direct:
<0.3 mg/dl |
Increased
total: hepatic damage (hepatitis, toxins, cirrhosis), biliary
obstruction, hemolysis, fasting.
Increased direct (conjugated): biliary
obstruction / cholestasis, drug induced cholestasis. |
| BUN |
7-20 mg/dl |
Increased:
renal failure, pre-renal azotemia, shock, volume depletion, postrenal
(obstruction), GI bleeding, stress, drugs (aminoglycosides, vanco
etc). Decreased: starvation,
liver failure, pregnancy, infancy, nephrotic syndrome, overhydration. |
| Calcium |
8.8 - 10.3 mg/dl |
Increased:
primary hyperthyroidism, parathyroid hormone secreting tumors, vitamin D
excess, metastatic bone tumors, chronic renal failure, milk-alkali
syndrome, osteoporosis, thiazide drugs, pagets disease, multiple myeloma,
sarcoidosis. Decreased: hypoparathyroidism,
insufficient vitamin D, hypomagnesemia, renal tubular acidosis,
hypoalbuminemia, chronic renal failure (phosphate retention), acute
pancreatitis |
| C02
(total) |
23-30 meq/l |
Increased:
respiratory acidosis, compensation for metabolic acidosis, severe
vomiting, primary aldosteronism, volume contraction, emphysema
Decreased: Respiratory alkalosis,
starvation, DKA, lactic acidosis, alcoholic ketoacidosis, severe
diarrhea, renal failure, drugs (salicylates etc), dehydration. |
| Chloride |
95-107 meq/l |
Increased:
diarrhea, renal tubular acidosis, mineralocorticoid deficiency,
hyperalimentation, medications (acetazolamide, ammonium chloride).
Decreased: mineralocorticoid excess,
vomiting, diabetes mellitus with ketoacidosis |
| Creatinine |
0.5 - 1.4 mg/dl |
Increased:
renal failure including prerenal, drug-induced (aminoglycosides,
vancomycin, others), acromegaly. Decreased:
loss of muscle mass, pregnancy. |
| Ferritin |
13 - 300 ng/ml |
Decreased:
iron deficiency anemia (earliest sign) |
| Iron
binding capacity (TIBC) |
250-420 mcg/dl |
Increased:
acute and chronic blood loss, iron deficiency anemia, hepatitis, oral
contraceptives. Decreased: anemia of
infection and chronic diseases, cirrhosis, nephrosis, hemochromatosis |
| Magnesium |
1.6 - 2.6 mg/dl |
Increased:
renal failure, hypothyroidism, severe dehydration, lithium intoxication,
antacids, Addison's disease. Decreased:
hyperthyroidism, aldosteronism, diuretics, malabsorption,
hyperalimentation, nasogastric suctioning, chronic dialysis, renal
tubular acidosis, drugs (aminoglycosides, cisplatin, ampho B), hungry
bone syndrome, hypophosphatemia, intracellular shifts with respiratory
or metabolic acidosis. |
| Osmolality
|
278 - 298 mOsm/kg |
Increased:
hypernatremia, hyperglycemia, water loss (diuretics, diabetes..),
alcohol ingestion, ethylene glycol ingestion, mannitol. Decreased:
hyponatremia, diuretics, Addison's disease, SIADH. |
| Phosphorus |
2.5 - 4.5 mg/dl |
Increased:
hypoparathyroidism, excess vitamin D, secondary hyperparathyroidism,
renal failure, bone disease, addisons disease. Decreased:
hyperparathyroidism, alcoholism, diabetes, hyperalimentation, acidosis,
hypomagnesemia, diuretics, vitamin D deficiency, phosphate-binding
antacids. |
| Transferrin |
200-400 mg/dl |
Increased:
iron deficiency anemia. Decreased:
acute and chronic inflammatory states, poor nutritional status, chronic
liver disease. |
| Uric
acid |
Male: 3 - 8 mg/dl.
female: 2-7 mg/dl |
Increased:
gout, renal failure, drugs (diuretics, others), hypothyroidism,
chemotherapy, parathyroid diseases, lactic acidosis. Decreased:
drugs (allopurinol, probenecid, others), Wilson's disease, Fanconi's
syndrome. |
|
Links to additional sites:
|
|
|